Chapter Summaries

After the Angels fell and the Pillar Gods changed, Sherlock stayed in Paradise City to protect more than eight thousand abandoned slaves, while Lily held the Gray Cave together until Iver could rescue its survivors. Iver revealed his plan to turn the desert into an oasis, suggesting the Parthian Ancient Kingdom’s era was ending.

• Sherlock chose to remain in Paradise City with more than eight thousand disabled and elderly slaves rather than abandon them, and the defeat of the Angels soon brought him relief.
• In Rock Cellar City, Ligeia and Isabel learned that the Angel had died and the Pillar God had changed; Isabel declared she would follow Iver if he died.
• Lily maintained the collapsing Gray Cave with the Gray Angel’s remnants until she exhausted herself, protecting the Red Hand Party members inside.
• Iver waited seven hours for the Gray Cave to break, praised Lily for holding it together, and promised to show the survivors a miracle by turning the desert into an oasis.
• Iver realized the Abyss Angel’s shard might have fused into his body, giving him a way to combine Sin Thorn with his powers to create and control water.

Iver realized why the Candle Holder had preserved the Sin Thorns and began burning them to release the Abyss Angel’s power rather than let it remain as a reserve. As he prepared to use the power to save others, the Great Abyss’s lingering consciousness questioned his choice, and Iver forced the Angel Shard open.

• Iver explained that the Candle Holder had preserved the Sin Thorns so a remnant of the old civilization could survive another catastrophe.
• Iver concluded that the Taboo combined creation with great sin and identified Star Ice as the era’s power to create Sin Thorns.
• Iver burned the Sin Thorns, releasing the Great Abyss’s power and weakening the divinity inside himself.
• The Great Abyss’s lingering consciousness asked why Iver would sacrifice the power instead of using it to resist nothingness.
• Iver formed the Abyss and Taboo Angel Shard and let the burning Sin Thorns pry open its shell.

Iver burned the Sin Thorns and recovered a fragment of his adoptive father, Professor Moriarty, who warned him that the souls trapped within the thorns needed to be sealed rather than absorbed. After Moriarty vanished, Iver turned the recovered information into Star Ice and prepared to bury the remaining Sin Thorns beneath the sea as rain fell over Anxi.

• Iver burned the Sin Thorns, and the smoke formed an afterimage of Professor Moriarty, whom he recognized as his father.
• Professor Moriarty explained that the Sin Thorns contained souls sacrificed to the Abyss Angel and urged Iver to annihilate and seal them.
• Iver accepted Moriarty's counsel, and Moriarty vanished without a farewell.
• Iver separated the Sin Thorns' information into Star Ice and froze the remaining information with the power of the forbidden.
• The Pearl Clam drew out more Sin Thorns as gentle rain fell over Anxi, and Iver finished preparing the miracle late at night.

Iver summoned Inanna into the Material Realm and gave her the Seed of Harvest to transform Anxi’s barren desert. By the end, she had spread fertile land across the region, and Iver drew out a second card.

• Iver purified the Sin Thorns and prepared the Pearl Clam and Book of Law beneath the moon.
• Iver summoned Inanna, who appeared in her true form and greeted him as her teacher.
• Iver named July 7 as Inanna’s birthday and asked her to grant the desert the Seed of Harvest.
• Inanna used the Remembrance and Commemoration Shard and the Pearl Clam’s mana to spread the Seed of Harvest across Anxi.
• Iver described Fruit Fall as the world’s earliest sacrifice, then drew out a second card.

Iver summoned the Great Sin Beasts and used their combined power to transform the Resting Desert, leaving it reborn as a fertile land. He cast the sealed memories of the Old Days toward the ocean and called for the world to break free of its old fate and welcome a new era.

• Iver summoned Don Quixote de la Mancha, Aleister, Hellerchein, Viennes, and Lia, then dismissed them after their presence helped prepare the miracle.
• Iver activated his own Great Sin Beast form, briefly resembling the Ring Angel before the transformation broke apart and revealed his true Angel authority.
• Iver used the power of the Pearl Clam and the four Angels to send the Star Ice containing the sealed memories of the Old Days toward the ocean.
• Iver proclaimed that the world should break the shackles of the Old Days and welcome a new era.
• Iver transformed the eight-million-square-kilometer Resting Desert into mountains, oases, springs, and fertile land.

Parthia’s people awoke to a transformed land and gathered around the living tree Anastasia, whom Iver had left as a witness to his miracle. Back in Paradise City, Iver asked Sherlock to govern Parthia as Grand Vizier while Isabel prepared to return and help rebuild it, and he declared that he would eventually become a god who brought dawn without becoming distant from humanity.

• Parthians explored the new mountains, springs, and fertile earth, then gathered around Anastasia as she healed people and recounted Iver’s miracle.
• Iver explained to Sherlock that defeating the Void would not by itself undo Parthia’s oppressive society, and Sherlock agreed that its people needed more than modest improvements.
• Iver offered Sherlock the position of Parthia’s Grand Vizier, explaining that Isabel was interested in becoming its ruler and planned to return with Parthian refugees.
• Sherlock accepted the work and asked Iver whether he would become a god after defeating his destined enemy.
• Iver said he would become a god who brought miracles and dawn, and hoped he would never become a god who stood above everyone else.

Iver established Wanning after ending the Benevolent Gods’ rule, naming Isabel its first Sultana and reorganizing the country. As the new order took shape and the fleeing Benevolent Gods were hunted down, Mr. Grandet arrived at Iver’s temporary residence.

• Iver welcomed the Red Hand Party members into Holy Spring City, while Belisarius took responsibility for those too radical to accept the new era.
• On July 10, Iver announced the end of the Benevolent Gods’ era and named the new country Wanning, with Isabel as its first Sultana.
• The people of Wanning toppled the Benevolent Gods’ statues, and guards killed those who tried to resist the New King.
• The Harpies captured the Benevolent Gods who fled; their direct descendants were eaten, their other family members were imprisoned, and Ismail was pardoned and appointed a general.
• Ligeia became the leader of Isabel’s personal guards as Iver and Isabel stayed temporarily at Encyclopedia’s home.
• Mr. Grandet arrived and knocked at Iver’s temporary residence.

Iver met with Grandet while Wanning’s new government was being established. Grandet knelt before Iver, addressed him with an ancient Elven ritual greeting, and began confessing the grave sins of himself, his relatives, and the Goblin Merchant Guild.

• Iver wondered why Grandet had come during Wanning’s busiest period and considered whether he wanted to discuss the underground waterways or take on infrastructure work.
• Isabel ordered Grandet brought in, while Sherlock warned Iver that the goblin merchant’s timing seemed suspicious.
• Isabel greeted Grandet and asked whether he needed their help with an urgent matter.
• Grandet knelt before Iver and delivered an ancient ritual greeting for the Child of Candle Holder.
• Grandet confessed that greed and malice had led him, his relatives, and the Goblin Merchant Guild to commit many grave sins, then began listing them.

After Parthia became Wanning, Grandet sought Iver’s protection from the goblins’ entrenched slave trade by separating his family and guild from the goblin race. Iver refused to grant them a new name but ordered Grandet to bring his people and assets into Wanning, promising to judge the Southern Continent before the month ended.

• With Parthia overthrown and Wanning established, the goblins remained the only people practicing slavery, and Grandet judged that most goblins would resist ending their enslavement of the trolls.
• Grandet knelt before Iver, confessed the goblins’ crimes, and asked him to forgive his family line and grant them a new name so they could separate from the goblin race.
• Iver questioned whether Grandet was certain he would win, and Grandet declared that Iver would inevitably emerge victorious.
• Iver refused to give Grandet’s people a new name but ordered him to give his troll employees identities and bring them, his guild, and his family into Wanning within half a month.
• Iver announced that he would judge the Southern Continent before the month ended and planned to abolish slavery, punish those responsible, and isolate the goblins and trolls so they could settle their own feud.

Iver explained that he planned to turn Wanning into a sanctuary for unwelcome peoples, bringing in unknown variables to strengthen the country and the wider world. Plotinus recovered his memories and ability to dream, then told Iver that Cardinal Galatea was looking for him in the Dream Realm.

• Iver told Sherlock and Isabel he would welcome goblins and other unwelcome races into Wanning to introduce unknown variables.
• Plotinus emerged after recovering from his soul’s near destruction, and Iver gave him the Sweet Dreams dreamcatcher.
• Plotinus explained that the Sea of Sorrow had merged with the clouds and was no longer as dark or despairing.
• Plotinus told Iver that Cardinal Galatea had sought him in the Dream Realm.

Iver and Isabel entered the Dream Realm and found Morgan hiding in Morgan's Funhouse from frightened phantasmal demons. Morgan revealed that the Dawn Angel had long been contaminated by the Void and warned that his planned self-sacrifice could plunge the world into eternal night.

• Iver and Isabel entered the Dream Realm through Morgan's Funhouse and found Morgan waiting for them.
• Morgan explained that phantasmal demons were fleeing into Shadow Land because the Dawn Angel's sunlight had become cold, gloomy, and hallucinogenic.
• Morgan revealed that the Dawn Angel had been contaminated long ago and that the Void had fully taken hold while his consciousness was away fighting the Great Abyss.
• Morgan told Iver and Isabel that the Dawn Angel had arranged to burn away his entire self when the new moon came in the month he lost his reason.
• Iver explained that the Dawn Angel's sacrifice would bring eternal night, killing plants and plunging the world into the conditions of the era before the sun rose.

Iver learned that Morgan was an experimental subject testing whether fate could be distorted, and discovered that a prophecy about the Sacred Entity shaped his identity. Morgan explained that the title could belong to anyone who fulfilled the prophecy, leaving Iver to reconsider his role in the coming events.

• Iver realized the Great Sage and Hourglass had designed Mithra as a replacement sun god, while Supreme Heaven’s surrender to the Void had helped cause the world’s troubles.
• Morgan revealed that the Lord of Scales and Feathers’ prophecy made her an experimental subject for testing whether fate could be distorted.
• Iver connected Morgan’s distorted fulfillment of her prophecy to Calamity Red’s belief that she would betray him and help defeat the Silver Crowned Dragon.
• Morgan told Iver that Sacred Entity came from a prophecy describing the universe’s First Mover and the sun that set before it rose.
• Morgan explained that Butterfly Angel’s fragments had been added to Iver and that anyone could become the Sacred Entity by fulfilling the prophecy.

Iver realized the Butterfly Angel had returned and learned from Morgan that the Winter Maiden’s rise as the Winter Angel had been tied to Iver’s creation and the Ouroboros Ring Ritual. He understood that the Winter Angel had been made as a sacrifice and tool, and the chapter left him overcome with pity for her.

• Iver recalled that summoning the Butterfly Angel’s power to help old Meg proved the Butterfly Angel had returned to the Dream Realm.
• Morgan told Iver that the Butterfly Angel had returned after his birth and revealed that the Winter Maiden had become an Apostle only nineteen years earlier.
• Iver learned that the Winter Maiden’s undeath had delayed the Butterfly Angel’s return, allowing Iver to be created with his complete power system.
• Iver realized the Winter Maiden had been designed to serve as a substitute for amber or as nourishment for the Paradox Flame Butterfly.
• Iver pitied the Winter Angel, whose life had been shaped entirely around becoming a sacrifice.

After learning that many people had been destined to sacrifice themselves, Iver resolved to win and traveled with Isabel to the Sea of Sorrow. There, Galatea revealed her death and plans to become the new King of Scaled Ones, then warned Iver that his next Full Moon Promotion Ritual had been altered and could be sabotaged.

• After saying goodbye to Morgan, Iver realized that many people, including Winter Angel and himself, had been fuses meant to sacrifice themselves, and resolved to win.
• Iver and Isabel traveled by Moon Deer through the warped Dream Realm to the Sea of Sorrow, where they found Galatea in her mermaid form.
• Galatea explained that she had died while exploring Atlantis, entered the Dream Realm without being transformed, and discovered that the sea monsters were Atlanteans and Star Crystal Persons.
• Galatea declared that she wanted to become the new King of Scaled Ones and asked Iver for his token; Iver gave her the Proof of Friendship.
• Galatea warned Iver not to participate in the Full Moon Ritual for his next Promotion Ritual because an unknown being had altered its foundation and could interfere with it.

Iver and Isabel discussed the danger of the Butterfly Angel’s possible descent and whether Isabel would sacrifice herself and her unborn child to protect him. After seeking help from the Lord of Scales and Feathers, Iver learned that Paradox Flame Butterfly might already be halfway to becoming the Butterfly Angel, so he might only need to complete her ascension.

• Isabel told Iver she would sacrifice herself and her unborn child for him if the world required it, but Iver insisted he would not sacrifice her or anyone else.
• Isabel urged Iver to find a solution before the Promotion Ritual ended and the Ouroboros Ring Ritual could summon an Angel.
• Iver realized he had been trying to solve the crisis alone and summoned the Lord of Scales and Feathers for help.
• The Lord of Scales and Feathers proposed that Paradox Flame Butterfly could already have used the Butterfly Angel’s shard and begun ascending.
• Iver understood that he might not need to summon the Butterfly Angel and could instead complete the remaining half of Paradox Flame Butterfly’s ascension.

Iver realized the Paradox Flame Butterfly already contained part of an Angel Shard and could complete her evolution through the Shepherding Method, without needing the Butterfly Angel’s shard. He spent the rest of his seclusion sacrificing the portion of his soul tied to Illusory Blood, and emerged on July 26.

• Iver pieced together that the Paradox Flame Butterfly’s unusual traits came from a shard already within her and that she could evolve into a Nuclear Angel through the Shepherding Method.
• Iver decided to feed the Paradox Flame Butterfly the part of his soul he did not need, avoiding the need to sacrifice anyone else.
• Iver began seclusion on July 11 and stayed away from Isabel so she would not worry about his suffering.
• Iver suppressed his recovery and refused treatment, making each sacrifice more meaningful to the Shepherding Method.
• Iver ended his seclusion on July 26.

After emerging from seclusion, Iver reunited with pregnant Isabel and asked her to protect Wanning while he traveled to the Southern Continent. Hearing their child’s faint movement renewed his determination to live, defeat the coming apocalypse, and witness the birth.

• Isabel visited Iver after he emerged from seclusion, while Wanning’s new leadership and identity had taken shape during his absence.
• Iver recovered beside Isabel and told her to inform Grandet that he was going to the Southern Continent.
• Iver asked Isabel to safeguard Wanning, and she promised to manage the country while he was away.
• Isabel let Iver listen to their child’s faint fetal movement, and he reflected on his life and his desire to survive.
• Iver embraced Isabel with renewed resolve to defeat the apocalypse and see their child born.

Iver flew to the Southern Continent and found the goblins prepared to fight him with a vast force of autonomous weapons. While Isabel learned from Grandet that the goblins were unlikely to submit, Iver shielded himself from their attack and summoned Don Quixote.

• Isabel asked Grandet whether the other goblins would submit, and he predicted they would resist rather than admit defeat.
• Grandet explained that the goblins’ cruelty, greed, and cowardice drove them to keep gambling on victory instead of surrendering.
• Iver reached the Southern Continent and discovered the goblins had deployed artillery, armed golems, and metal fortresses against him.
• The goblin weapons opened fire, but Iver blocked their attacks with a ritual barrier and told Lia to wait before acting.
• Iver summoned Don Quixote to prevent the goblins from turning the battle around.

Don Quixote appeared to protect Iver, destroyed the goblins’ airborne weapons, and cut through their Anti-Summoning chains with Angel-level power. The goblins concentrated their fire on Iver until his barrier shattered and the Storm of Iron and Fire swallowed him.

• Don Quixote appeared before Iver and split the missiles, bullets, arrows, and Golem axes in midair.
• Don Quixote cut through the armored Golems, but the goblins’ Anti-Summoning chains halted him.
• Don Quixote unleashed Divine Punishment, severing the chains and dissolving everything in a fifteen-kilometer path with one sword strike.
• The goblins bombarded Iver with lead warheads and Golem attacks while Don Quixote fought elsewhere.
• The goblins’ repeated attacks cracked and then shattered Iver’s barrier, and the Storm of Iron and Fire swallowed him.

The goblins unleashed a barrage of dwarf great cannons against Iver, but Don Quixote absorbed the physical damage and became immune to it. Iver summoned Lia and used her vast-area spell to erase every goblin on the Southern Continent, leaving the rest of the world untouched.

• The goblins fired more than a hundred Annihilation Type Dwarf Great Cannons at Iver after his barrier fell.
• Don Quixote absorbed the barrage until he was destroyed, completing one of the Twelve Trials and gaining immunity to physical damage.
• Iver resummoned Don Quixote and layered barriers against every kind of damage except physical attacks.
• Iver summoned Lia in her majestic manifested form and paid the mana cost for her spell.
• Lia unleashed white light across the Southern Continent, erasing every goblin while leaving the land and buildings unharmed.